Master's Degrees

Our educational psychology and quantitative methods program focuses on preparing you, as a researcher, to address problems in diverse educational settings, with the ultimate goal of improving teaching and learning, classroom and school organization, inequities in opportunities to learn, the assessment of educational outcomes, and a range of other pressing educational issues. Educational psychologists have a common philosophy that we learn about educational processes, and ultimately improve them through the collection and study of empirical research data. Our program includes the study of human development, cognition and motivational processes. 

Our on-campus master's program in mental health counseling focuses on the development of counseling knowledge and skills, supported by research and other empirical evidence. After completing this program, you will meet the requirements for being license-eligible as a mental health counselor in New York State. Our program is based on a philosophy that emphasizes personal and professional growth, respect for human diversity, multicultural competence, social justice, client strengths and ethical responsibility. The MS in mental health counseling at the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, is accredited by the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC) for the period of February 2018 through February 2028.

Our master's program in rehabilitation counseling focuses on preparing you to become a competent and skillful rehabilitation counselor. Our program is fully accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), and may lead to you becoming a nationally-certified rehabilitation counselor. As a rehabilitation counselor, you may provide a broad range of counseling and rehabilitation services to individuals with physical, mental/psychiatric, cognitive or sensory disabilities at various stages in their lives.

Our master's program in school counseling, which can be taken in partnership with the certificate of advanced study, is designed to prepare you to meet New York State standards for school counselors for the initial certificate and the professional certificate. This program seeks to educate counselors to assist K–12 youth to develop skills involving educational, vocational and personal-social needs. Through our program, you will learn how to apply a diverse repertoire of helping strategies and techniques, conceptualize and implement a comprehensive school counseling program, and engage in evaluation of your efforts.

Our master's program with an advanced certificate in school psychology focuses on the practitioner-scientist model of training and offers experiences in four areas: educational/psychological foundations, assessment, direct/indirect interventions and consultation. The practitioner-scientist model, approved by National Association of School Psychologists, will prepare you to work in schools by utilizing (a) psychological assessments and classroom data to guide interventions, (b) primary and secondary psychoeducational and mental health interventions, and (c) collaboration and pre-referral consultation with parents and teachers. Upon successful completion of the program, you will be eligible for New York State initial certification as a school psychologist. 

Our master’s program in educational culture, policy and society is for you if you wish to explore the role that education (P-16+) plays in the larger society. You will learn how institutions, policies and practices facilitate and/or limit individuals’ well-being and social, economic and educational outcomes. In this three-semester program, you will study education in broad-based social, cultural, political and historical contexts in the United States and other nations. Attention will be directed toward studying the educational policies and practices of underserved populations, including but not limited to historically marginalized racial/ethnic groups in the United States (e.g., African American, Latino/a and non-proficient English speakers) and populations with limited financial resources. You will also explore gender disparities in education, social and economic opportunities, and unequal outcomes in the global context. You will have the opportunity to focus on cross-national differences in education policies and practices.

Our master's program in higher education and student affairs is for you if you wish to pursue a career in higher education working directly with college students in student affairs, academic affairs, enrollment management, or related units. Our program focuses on providing you with the skills needed to help two- and four-year institutions meet the learning and development needs of all students and to personalize the college campus. Our program is designed to meet the guidelines developed by the Council for Advancement of Standards in Higher Education criteria for master's programs. The guidelines emphasize student development, multicultural issues and practical experience.

Our fully-accredited master's program in information and library science focuses on enabling you to seek professional employment in a wide range of information careers in the United States and around the world. Our program, accredited by the American Library Association, is offered fully online.

Our master's program in school librarianship, registered by the New York State Education Department, is authorized to recommend you for certification for the library media specialist, Pre-K–12 initial certificate. This fully online program focuses on preparing you to teach in a 21st century school library. All courses include the latest research-based, best practices occurring in the school library field. You will be exposed to strategies and techniques for teaching information literacy, based on new standards of practice as outlined in the Common Core Learning Standards and the Annual Professional Performance Review.

Our master's program in education studies can be taken as is or designed and tailored to meet your interests, as well as your professional and academic needs. This program of study is targeted for those whose goals are broad, interdisciplinary and flexible. You can pursue a focus area that allows you to take maximum advantage of courses and resources in the Graduate School of Education. You have the option to create your own multidisciplinary focus area from within our school and across our departments.

If you have substantial English content background, wish to be a leader in English education, aim to teach English nationally or internationally, and are not seeking New York State teaching certification, our English education studies program will provide you the tools necessary to achieve your professional goals.  

If you currently teach or plan on teaching and want to learn more about developmental reading, and are not seeking New York State teaching certification, our literacy education studies program will provide you with the tools necessary to achieve your professional goals. Our program will expand your knowledge of the theories, methods, and materials of reading, reading instruction, language, language instruction and reading assessment, enabling you to develop competencies that will enrich students’ capabilities.

If you have substantial math content background, wish to be a leader in math education, aim to teach math nationally or internationally, and are not seeking New York State teaching certification, our math education studies program will provide you the tools necessary to achieve your professional goals.  

If you possess substantial music content background, wish to be a leader in music education, aim to teach music nationally or internationally, and are not seeking New York State teaching certification, our music education studies program will provide you with the tools necessary to achieve your professional goals. Our graduates integrate digital technologies to enhance music learning, and value music at the core of the curriculum for every student. 

Our master's degree program in teaching English to speakers of other languages is for you if you want to (1) teach in college-level English as a second language (ESL) programs, (2) teach in adult-level ESL programs for immigrants and refugees in the United States, and (3) teach in all levels internationally. The EdM TESOL degree has been considered the terminal professional degree for those seeking opportunities to teach ESL/ENL (English as a new language) in national and international institutions of higher education.